Iggimacool on Winter Championship campaign

Don’t be fooled by the number of duck eggs next to the name of Iggimacool in the formguide.

That’s trainer Robert Smerdon’s advice ahead of the mare’s assignment in the Rod Johnson Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.

After winning over 1700m at Flemington last September, Iggimacool has registered performances that have resulted in her finishing closer to last than first.

One of those was first-up in the Straight Six over 1200m at Flemington on May 21.

Iggimacool was beaten 4-1/2 lengths by Nautical in the Listed race but Smerdon was happy with the performance.

“She ran respectably first-up and well within our expectations,” Smerdon said.

“She’s had three weeks between runs and she’ll take further improvement from this run as well.”

Saturday’s race is the third heat of the VRC-CRV Winter Championship with the final at Flemington over 1600m on July 9.

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Smerdon said Iggimacool would contest the next Flemington heat, the seventh of the series, over 1400m on June 25 on her way to the final.

A five-year-old, Iggimacool began her racing career in Tasmania before being transferred to Smerdon’s care for her last campaign.

She notched three consecutive placings before her Flemington win which was followed by unplaced efforts at her next two outings.

Her trainer doesn’t know if this is to be Iggimacool’s last campaign before she is retired to stud and he’s hoping to get her some black type through a Winter Championship campaign.

“She’s still got a good zest for the job at hand,” Smerdon said.

“We’ll make a decision on whether she heads off to the breeding barn at the appropriate time.”

Iggimacool has remained steady at $21 for Saturday’s race with last start Flemington winner Jimmando an easing $4.80 favourite.

Iggimacool’s stablemate Reldas will start in the Jezabeel Handicap on Saturday.

Reldas was reinstated after the stable inadvertently scratched him instead of taking him out of the Golden Topaz at Swan Hill on Friday.

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